We hear these from students after their trips, usually with a laugh and a slight wince. In roughly the order they cause trouble:
1. Trying to see too much
Rome, Florence, Venice and the Amalfi Coast in ten days is four travel days and six real ones. Italy rewards staying put. Two bases in ten days beats four.
2. Eating dinner at six
Most kitchens outside tourist areas open at 7.30 or 8. A restaurant serving at six is a restaurant serving tourists. Shift later and the food improves.
3. Not validating the train ticket
Regional paper tickets must be stamped in the machine on the platform before boarding. An unstamped ticket is an unpaid ticket, and the fine is real. High-speed tickets with a seat and a time do not need it.
4. Driving into the historic centre
Almost every Italian city centre is a ZTL, a restricted traffic zone monitored by cameras. Fines arrive months later, via the rental company, with a fee on top, and one wrong turn can produce several. Park outside the walls.
The two most expensive words in Italian tourism are "zona" and "traffico".
5. Assuming everyone speaks English
In hotels and central restaurants, mostly yes. Twenty minutes outside them, often not — and in a village, rarely. This is where a little Italian stops being charming and becomes useful.
6. Tipping American amounts
Service is normally included. Leaving twenty per cent is not generous so much as confusing. Round up, or leave a couple of euros for genuinely good service.
7. Dressing for a beach in a church
Shoulders and knees covered in churches, enforced at major sites. A light scarf in the bag solves it permanently.
8. Expecting shops to stay open all day
Many close for several hours in the early afternoon, especially in the south, and on Sunday. Plan errands for the morning.
9. Saying "ciao" to everyone
Warm, and slightly too familiar with strangers. Buongiorno costs nothing and lands better. See the fifteen phrases that matter most.
And one thing Americans get right
Enthusiasm. Italians are not cynical about their own country and respond warmly to people who are visibly delighted by it. Being openly thrilled about a plate of pasta is not embarrassing here. It is correct.